


The Seeming & The Real

by 7cinnamonroses



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Be Careful What You Wish For, Because Fuck you Puck!, Declarations Of Love, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Guilt, Heartbreak, I'm sorry William, Implied Sexual Content, Loki in love, Midsummer Night's Dream/Avengers Crossover, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Reunion Sex, Romance, shameless crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-28
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-06 15:17:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1862586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/7cinnamonroses/pseuds/7cinnamonroses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You work as Pepper Pott’s assistant and have a crush on a certain demigod. More than convinced that said crush is simply absurd, you’re more than a little flustered when finding out that your feelings do not seem all that much unwelcome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Seeming

The sun was coming up, creating those soft contrasts you liked so much. It promised to be a beautiful day. Yet you did not care about the sun, nor about the cloudless sky as it’s colour changed from dark blue to soft hues of yellows, oranges and soft light blues.

Your eyes were fixed on his face. The only thing you heard was his soft breathing as he lay beside you, his arms holding your body firmly against his own. It was there. That small, peaceful smile you had not thought him capable of only two months ago. The room started to become less dark, allowing you to see his pale skin, contrasting with his black eyelashes, brows and hair. The night had left the room a bit chilly, so you reached out and pulled up the blanket the two of you were covered with, so that his upper body was wholly protected from the cold. This little movement made him stir, though only for a second and his arms tightened around you, pressing your warm skin against his slightly colder. In your chest, your heart swelled, as always when you realized how surreal this intimacy had seemed mere weeks ago. You were happy. Every time he looked lovingly at you, you were beyond happiness. The way he seemed only at ease when being with you… Something was wrong. Yes, you had tried to push that thought back, but last night had made it very clear that something was not right. With him. With the way he acted around you. With the feelings he had for you. These thoughts pierced your heart.

A strand of jet-black hair fell over his eyes as he moved yet closer to you. You breathed out softly and reached for it, when his eyes opened and met yours. Gently you tucked his hair behind his ear and stroked his face.  
  
“Go back to sleep. It’s still early.” you told him, your voice, your eyes and your smile full of love. He however sighed and reached for you, pulling you into a gentle kiss. Oh the way he kissed you. There was no describing it. The way it was both tender and so full of desire or how it felt like when his tongue explored your mouth. No words in no language could even dream of describing it. He shifted onto his back, pulling you on top of his body along the way. You moaned as his fingers caressed your back.  
  
“I love you.” he breathed between kisses, his eyes looking at you as if you were the most precious, beautiful thing in the whole universe. As if there were no one else but you.  
  
“I love you, too.” you told him and caught his lips in a deep kiss before he started to move your hips downwards. He gasped as you gave in to his wishes, as well as your own desire, moaning his name contently. “Loki…”

~~

“Loki of Asgard.”  
  
He had introduced himself as he had arrived at Stark Tower along with his foster-brother Thor. You were the assistant of Pepper Potts and thus present when he arrived. You were nothing to him, but sadly you were smitten instantly. Of course you had felt stupid and kept mocking yourself over the next couple of days. To no avail. You were there when they had started to work and it did not help that he could be extremely charming when he wanted to. You had always had a thing for the witty, intelligent type and his good looks added up to the whole picture. It was a crush and you hated it! Since you knew how ridiculous this was, you avoided him, which wasn’t that hard, really. You got to work in the morning, stayed as long as you had to, helping Miss Potts and Mr Stark as good as you could and went home. He’d be gone in a couple of days when he was done with helping Stark out with some magic. Since he had used to be Earth's enemy, you had asked your boss what was up with him being here. She grinned at you, because this was not the first time you asked casual questions about him.  
  
“Some kind of compensation for the mess your sweetheart made.” she had told you and you blushed.  
  
“Stop it, please.” you had told her, withstanding the clichéd ‘He’s not my sweetheart!’ reaction.  
  
“How did this crush come about anyway?” she had asked. While you chose not to react to that question she gave your shoulder a friendly pat. “Don’t worry. We all had stupid crushes on unattainable guys before. Especially on bad boys… Oh, by the bye: Ian Boomer will be here in half an hour. See that he’s comfortable will you?”  
  
You nodded. Boomer was a wealthy and very successful client who had invested a lot of money into Mr Starks clean energy project. You had met him two times before and smiled at him as he stepped out the lift.  
  
“Good day to you, Sir!” you greeted. “Mr Goodfellow!” you also welcomed his assistant who stepped out after his boss. The taller of the two took your hand in his and pressed a small kiss on your knuckles.  
  
“It is a joy to see you again. I trust Miss Potts is ready to meet us?”  
  
“Please follow me. Miss Potts will be with you in a bit. May I pay the two of you company while you wait?”

As you led the two men into the big livingroom with the large window that admitted a fantastic view over New York, you saw Loki standing by the window. He turned towards you as you entered.  
  
“I beg your pardon, I…” you started nervously since he seemed to feel bothered by the sudden intrusion, but he lifted his hand to silence you.  
  
“I shall leave you.” he said and left without another word. A small blush crept into your cheeks when he had walked past you. Boomer smiled down at you.  
  
“Who is the young man who caught your fancy?” he asked friendly which made the blush become even worse. Goodfellow smirked.  
  
“Your children will be beautiful!” he joked. You opened your mouth, but said nothing, since Boomer glared at the younger man before giving you a warm smile.  
  
“How come he’s not returning those feelings?” Great! Now one of the clients knew, too! You needed a cold shower and a kick in the butt.  
  
“He… I… May I get the two of you anything to drink while you are waiting for Ms Potts?” you asked, desperately trying to avoid the answer. As both of them sat down you started to relax.  
  
“He doesn’t know, then?” Boomer asked when you placed a glass of fine and very expensive scotch in front of him. You gaped at him. Why couldn't he just let it go?  
  
“Sir, I beg you, do not concern yourself with… that.” you said, worried he might be offended. It turned out to be quite the contrary.  
  
“My dear! You really are in love with him, aren’t you?” he said joyfully, as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world. Quite the contrary! You wished it would stop. Just like that! To make things worse, Goodfellow seemed to join in on his boss’s bad joke.  
  
“I declare she is. Now, what is holding you back?” he asked.  
  
“And we are good at finding out when someone is lying to us!” the older man added, not unfriendly.  
  
“It’s… I… He…” you blushed. This was so stupid! All of it! “Excuse me, please!” you said and hurried outside, trying to hold back tears of embarrassment.

~~~

The taller man smiled at your retreating form.  
  
“The poor, fair maiden is troubled. She is a fine girl and I would rather see her mind and heart at ease.” he stated and turned to his assistant. “You’ve met the man before, didn’t you?”  
  
“Indeed I did. Years ago. Cold as a fish, as they say.” Boomer smirked.  
  
“What a waste, for both of them.”  
  
The shorter man nodded.  
  
“I reckon… It is time for some old tricks in this new age, don’t you?” he asked, a broad smirk in his face.  
  
“See it is done correctly this time. I don’t want this to get out of control… Miss Potts! As always, it’s a joy to see you!”

~~

This was all so ridiculous! Why did your heart do this to you?  It was a crush! A stupid, stupid, incredibly stupid crush! The kind that teenage girl’s had on the captain of the football team or on some actor. Well, they better be careful what they wish for, because running into said crush daily and him still being unaware of your existence SURELY was not what Disney movies prepared you for. The thought amused you for a second, though it had this bitter aftertaste. The kind that lingers. Not only on your tongue, but also in your throat, spreading through your whole body.

 _Damn it all!_ , you thought irritated by your own stupidity and the fact that Boomer had read you like an open book. If it was this obvious to him… Suddenly you felt a cold shiver run through your body instead of the feeling of embaressment. Your heart made one painful leap into your throat, while your eyes widened. You were absolutely sure you would faint in a second and leaned against the wall beside you. If he knew and if Miss Potts knew…  
  
“No…” you winced miserably. He probably knew! Which must have been the reason why he was so quick to leave the room earlier… No, no, no, no!!!! This –to you– terrible thought made your skin go pale and you felt weak. So stupid! So incredibly stupid! He was probably disgusted by the mere thought… Oh sweet Jesus, why?  
  
“Is anything the matter?” came a silky soft voice from behind you. Surprised you gave a start and turned your body slightly, though not completely towards the very reason for your current, very sorry state. He stood behind you, his arms folded on his back, one brow raised questionably.  
  
“N-No! Of course not.” you said in a small voice. His eyes narrowed at you, causing your whole body to become stiff.  
  
“May I inform you that you are a miserable liar?” he asked, his face unmoved. Loki’s head turned toward the conference room. “Who is that man in there?” he asked and you swallowed.  
  
“His name is Ian Boomer. He is one of Mr Starks partners and associates.” you explained after taking a deep breath.  
  
“Does he come here often, then?” he asked, sounding a bit suspicious.  
  
“Not too often, no… Is something wrong?” you asked, but he slowly shook his head. “I don’t know. The man who came with him would be…?”  
  
“His assistant, Mr Goodfellow.” At that Loki’s eyes narrowed undoubtedly displeased.  
  
“I see…” he said and walked past you. “Whatever they said: Don’t let it bother you so much.”    
  
Your eyes went wide, heart clenching, though less painful this time.  
  
“I won’t, thank you…” you called after him, which made him scoff.  
  
“Work on your ability to lie if you plan on doing it so frequently.”

Even though his back was facing you while he brought more and more distance between the two of you, probably already forgetting about you  even standing there, you looked to the ground. Damn… Why were you such a miserable…

~~~

“…beautiful… you are so beautiful!” he said in a soft, breathless voice while placing kisses on the bridge of your nose, your cheekbones and your forehead. You closed your eyes and sighed, your fingers gently caressing the slightly wet skin of his back. The sun was up by now, bathing your bedroom in a soft light. Loki was on top of you, his body keeping you warm, but you could feel the still cold air. His hair was tousled and you reached out to comb it with your fingers, getting it out of his face. He smiled adoringly at you, turning his head to kiss your inner wrist. It tickled a bit. You sighed and started to feel blissfully tired again, hands resting on his back, holding him close.  
  
“I love you…” you said sleepily. He grabbed the blanket and covered you and himself with it before his lips were gently brushing against yours again. Cautiously his arms slid under your body, pulling you to him, while he changed his and your position, so both of you were laying on your sides, his arms still holding you flush against him.  
  
“Go back to sleep… I’ll be here when you wake up, my love.” Moving your head so your forehead rested against his shoulder, you opened your eyes once more. You had to know, no matter how much it might hurt.

“Loki?”

“Yes?” he answered, his fingers playing with some strands of your hair.

“What changed? What made you love me back?” you asked. For a moment the only sound that could be heard was the sound of the streets outside. Then you felt him shift once more, allowing some space between the two of you. He was looking straight into your eyes. He was… smiling. “What changed, Loki?” you repeated, but his smile didn’t falter.

“Everything. Everything changed.” he breathed and pulled you in again. You smiled against his skin, resulting in him kissing the top of your head. Enjoying the way he smelled you drifted off to sleep, loving the feeling of his heart beating against your ear.

~~~

Miss Potts had just greeted Mr Goodfellow, who was paying another visit. Yesterday Boomer had taken some contracts with him to have his lawyer look over them once more before signing them. Goodfellow had just handed Miss Potts the signed papers and would now stay for a cup of coffee. Just as you were approaching the living-room where you would sit, Mr Stark’s voice could be heard.

“Get. UP!!! Hey! Loki!!” Miss Potts, Goodfellow and you turned, seeing Stark standing down the hall.

“Tony… One moment Robert!” Ms Potts excused herself and walked towards her boyfriend. You and Goodfellow looked at one another.

“It’s been a bit hectic these last few weeks, Mr Goddfellow.” The young man with light blonde hair grinned at you.

“Now, don’t apologize. You don’t want to know half of the stories I could tell you, so don’t worry.” He answered as Stark was calling you over.

“Tony, no!” Pepper hissed, giving you a worried look.

“Shush, pretty girl!” he said and put an arm around her, grinning at you. “His majesty is taking a nap as it seems. Do me a favour and wake him up!” he told you.

“You don’t have to do this!” Potts tried again, when you looked at her helplessly.

“Mr Stark, please, I…” Stark perched his lips.

“Get in there, and I’ll double your salary.” he told you, but money was not the issue here. “Now come on, he won’t hurt you. He just wants to mess with me.”

“I am not scared, but please, can’t you…”

“Good! If you’re not afraid there should be no other reason why you can’t do me that little favour. Or am I wrong?” he asked. You could barely tell him why you didn’t want to do this. These stupid feelings couldn’t interfere with your career. Stark gave you a friendly pat on the shoulder and walked off. “Tell him I want him down in the workshop! The sooner this gets done, the sooner he can get home.” Potts turned again and threw you a sympathetic look before you turned and stared at the door. Oh God! Oh God! OH GOD! Your hand was shaking as you raised it to knock.

“Prince Loki?” you called gently. As Stark, Potts and Goodfellow left, the latter turned slightly and grinned, putting his hands in his pockets, while easily conversing with the other two. You knocked again. “Prince Loki? Mr Stark asked me to wake y…” you started back as the door opened, Loki towering over you. His hair was out of place due to having fallen asleep you figured. For a second he looked a bit surprised, but stayed silent. You blushed slightly under his gaze.

“I am very sorry for disturbing you, but Mr Stark asked me to wake you.” You explained, hoping he wasn’t the kind of person who would snap at people who woke them.

“No… Don’t apologize. It was good of you to do so.” he said, a small smile on his face. “I am very obliged to you.” You needed all the willpower you possessed to keep you from gaping at him. Had you misheard him? He seemed in a very good mood. Maybe he had just slept very well. Allowing yourself to return his smile you nodded.

“Mr Stark is waiting for you in the workshop. I’ll leave you now so you can get ready.” If he really knew how you felt about him you’d rather not go on his nerves and make things worse. However, his left arm came forward, first blocking your way, then his hand was gently placed on your shoulder. You blushed. Strictly speaking he was as good as holding you in his arm. Surprised you looked at him.

“Forgive me for keeping you, my dear…” he cooed, still smiling down at you. What was going on? Was he messing with you because you woke him up? He wouldn’t be that cruel, would he? “…but somehow your full name seems to have escaped me. Would you mind repeating it?” You blinked. Did he just ask you your first name? When Tony had introduced Miss Potts and you to Thor and Loki he had only used your surname most of the time. You told Loki your firstname and he nodded, repeating it fondly. His hand squeezed your shoulder cautiously before letting go, placing both hands behind his back and bowed slightly. “I shall see you later then.” He kept smiling and repeated your name again, as if he was trying out every syllable. Your blush deepened.

“I, ahm… yes!” you said and hurried off, not sure what you ought to think of this. Maybe you ought to apologize for waking him once more. The last thing you needed was him mocking you with the feelings you had for him. Your knees were kind of weak and you felt stiff while walking away. Awkwardly you slightly turned and looked over your shoulder, seeing that Loki was looking after you. Instantly a shock went through your whole body. He was still smiling, though not in a mocking, mean-spirited way. It was almost… fondly. You quickly turned and kept walking. Why did he do this to you?

~~~

You woke up around an hour later. He too had fallen asleep again, his face close to yours. Glancing at the clock you registered it was almost time to get up and you smiled. Today wouldn’t be too busy. Just a bit of work for the planned charity ball, planning some appointments and Goodfellow had asked for a short meeting to calculate some business-plans and their costs. Afterwards you and Loki had planned a great weekend. You wanted to show him some places he had inquired after. You reecalled the first time he had used the subway and smiled as you remembered his face as you had emerged at the other side of the city some minutes later. He had thought it interesting, but much too crowded. Nothing he would enjoy doing again, according to him. But he was curious by nature, which you really liked about him. Some stuff threw him off and he deemed them stupid, but you gave him credit for trying. You raised your hand and your fingers traced over his collarbone. He sighed in his sleep and you smiled, replacing your fingers with your lips. His arms moved, suggesting that he was awake by now, but you did not look up this time. Instead you kept kissing his collarbone, moving your body, sliding up to be able to reach his neck, causing him to moan. You shifted your weight, moved away from his neck and laid your head on the cushion next to his. His eyes were open and looked adoringly at you. Moving his head, his nose brushed against yours cautiously.  
  
“You know I might get used to being woken up like this, do you?” he asked, his voice still a bit sleepy.

“Is that so?” you asked, slightly teasing and smiled at him. You turned your head and kissed his lips. His arms tightened around you, again bringing you on top of him. Both of you smiled as you broke the kiss and leaned back. After a moment he looked expectantly at you.

“Don’t stop once you started, dear.” he said, sitting up, pulling you towards him and kissing you passionately. You moaned as you felt his hips moving against yours, but leaned back, very breathless, but smiling.

“We got to get up.” You told him and caressed one side of his face.

“In due time.” He said softly and pulled you into another kiss. A shudder went down your spine as his tongue caressed yours. Then the one sound you hated more than anything in the whole world could be heard. Your alarm went off. You sighed unnerved and attempted to break the kiss, though Loki had different ideas. He positioned you in his lap and you could feel him smile against your lips as his fingers gently stroked just the right spot on your back. The bastard was using dirty tricks! He knew exactly how much you loved it when he did that. Grinning against his mouth, you moved your lips against his. Just as he seemed to think you would give in you bit his bottom lip. He drew back and smiled teasingly. “Ouch!” he said amused. You cocked your head at him.

“Time to get out of bed.” you told him, kissed his forehead and moved off of him.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” he protested and tried to get a hold of you, but you jumped out of his reach, laughing.

“You got things to do as well, so move your cute ass out of bed and preferably: NOW!” you told him. He smiled.

“I don’t know… With such a beautiful sight…” he said, looking at your body and you laughed, grabbing your bath-robe to wrap it around you. “Now that’s just cruel!”

“You can pay me back later.” You told him and walked into your bathroom to take a quick shower. When you were about to step into the shower, he already stood there, leaning against the glass-wall, smiling at you.

“How about now?” he asked evenly, placed his hands on your sides, picked you up and pressed you against him with one arm while turning on the cold water with the other hand. You gasped, surprised by the freezing water and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. He grinned at your attempts to get away from him. Eventually, he turned on the hot water and you sighed in relief. There you stood, clad in your robe, laughing against his bare chest. Loki was chuckling as he held you close, both of you soaked by now. “Maybe you should get out of that useless piece of clothing.” the tall man suggested and winked down at you.

“Stark will have my head if we are late.” You told him, leaning your head against his chest.

“He’d have to get past me first, so don’t worry about your pretty little head.” He told you gently and tugged at the robe. You smiled and stood on your toes, pulling his head down to kiss him.

“I love you.” You said as he slid the robe off your shoulder before brushing your lips against his.

“I love you too…” he said and lifted you up into his arms, kissing you deeply.

~~~

You had not seen him since you had woken him earlier. Maybe he would not try to make fun of you anymore if you avoided him for the rest of the day… You know? Keeping a respectful distance! Sitting at the kitchen counter you had just cancelled a confirmed meeting for tomorrow and sipped on your coffee when Miss Potts entered.

“Hey! So Loki did not eat you?” she asked and came over.

“No.” you told her and smiled a bit embarrassed. “I don’t think I’d fit his taste.” You joked and kept smiling bravely. Potts rubbed your shoulder gently.

“You do have a thing for him, do you?”

You sighed before answering. “I never meant for you to know. If it affected my work in any negative way, I am deeply sorry, but…”

“No!” she interrupted. “No it’s not that. I was just… concerned. From girl to girl… Why?”

Shaking your head you looked down at your cup.

“He’s just… It’s… It’s stupid!” you said. All you would do would be swooning if you started to explain yourself now. “I know it’s a crush… It will be over as soon as he’s gone.”

“You do know that he will not leave before next month right? Maybe he'll even stay longer. Tony is getting used to him, you know?!” she asked sounding quite worried.

“Yes, well… It’s not like I see too much of him.”

She seemed to consider this for a moment and then nodded. “Just take care, will you?”

“I will, Miss Potts.” you told her smiling again.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then… Only make sure all the right people received the memo on the current energy supply developments. Afterwards: Take the rest of the day off.” Sweet! Two hours earlier than usually.

“Thanks, Miss Potts. Have a lovely evening.” you said and jumped off your chair.

Half an hour later you sat in Miss Potts’ home office and had just called the final client, crossing out his name on the list beside you when you felt a hand on your shoulder. Startled you whirled around, pressing your hand against your chest. Loki stood behind you. Had he not just scared the hell out of you, you’d blush now, but currently you were kind of busy with your attempt to slow your heart to a normal rate. Which wasn’t all that easy, taking into account who was touching you right now.

“You scared me!” you said breathless.

“I beg your forgiveness.” He stated and rubbed your shoulder soothingly. “It wasn’t my intention.”

“No harm done…” you said and looked up at him. “Can I help you with something?”

“You really are an observant little thing, aren’t you?” he cooed, his hand traveling down your arm. “Some days ago I had some time to think about my stay here. One thing I could not help but observe had something to do with you.” He explained smoothly.

“Oh?”

 _OH???_ Did you just really sound like a damn teenager? This was so ridiculous! You weren’t like that. You wanted your old self back and soon!

 _Oh!,_ you thought disdainfully. God how you hated yourself right now. Feeling your muscles tense up where he touched your arms did not help. Why, why, God why, did it have to feel so good? You just wished he’d mock you and get it over with instead of playing with you like a cat would with a mouse. As he leaned down, his mouth close to your ear a sudden shockwave went through your body. His breath was warm against your skin. _Please_ , you thought, _Please, just get it over with. Don’t be so cruel. I couldn’t help myself… I couldn’t… I did not choose to feel this way…_

His hand found yours, fingers tracing the soft skin of the back of your hand. He moved his head, breathing in, as if to take in your scent. You didn’t dare to move or say anything. But you had to.

“I… hope I did not insult you in any way?” you asked in a small voice. By now you felt your heart beating against your rips violently.

“Your pulse is racing, my dear…” he said into your ear –his voice like black silk. “Don’t worry… you did nothing that displeased me…”

His fingers entwined with yours now. Gently. Lovingly. It felt wonderful. You knew it was fake. _Please make an end… Not like this please… Yell at me, scorn me, but please not this… I know it’s ridiculous. I do! I do!_

By now you were a wreck. You were convinced he knew about your feelings and you were sure he did this as some cruel joke, to get you to make a fool out of yourself. You felt tears in your eyes, as the tip of his nose grazed the side of your ear. This made you sit up straight, wanting to get away from him at any cost now, but his other arm came around your body again and held you.

“You fancy me, do you?”

Tears ran down your face now, your eyes no longer able to hold them back. You nodded, just wanting this to be over.

“I… am sorry if it offends you…” you said, just able to have your voice sound more or less normal. His face came around to look at you, though you adverted your gaze. This was beyond embarrassing. You felt like a child, about to be scolded. His second hand came up, his thumb, index finger and middle finger taking hold of your chin, turning your head towards him. You eyes met his as a new stream of tears ran down your face. _Let me go… just let me go, please!_

Not able to look at him any more you closed your eyes, waiting for the blow. It came. Just not the way you expected. You felt two semi-warm lips on your skin, just beneath your right eye. Your eyes flew open in surprise.

“Don’t cry, fair one…” he murmured softly, his tongue licking away the tears, which made you gasp. His hand squeezed yours tightly.

“Stop mocking me, please…” you begged. It felt so good… It was so cruel… His eyes met yours again.

“Do I seem in a mocking mood?” he asked seriously and you stared at him. Why didn’t he make an end? “Does this feel like mocking?” he asked again, leaning in to claim your lips.

As they brushed against yours you closed your eyes again. _No! Don’t! He will laugh at you. He will…_

Still: it felt like being blown away. Not by warmth. His lips weren’t cold, but… like cool, fresh air. His hand left your face, putting this now free arm around your waist instead, pulling you forward. You leaned into him, cautiously returning his kiss. If you had thought this might cause him to stop, you were mistaken. He sighed. Blissfully. As if he had been waiting for this as long as you had. As he deepened the kiss you sighed yourself, but still expected him to snap at you any minute now. He felt your anxiousness and broke away from you.

“This isn’t to your disliking, I trust?” he asked, smiling warmly.

“No…” you said, breathing heavily. “Prince Loki… Is this some joke?” you asked timidly. He looked surprised.

“I beg your pardon, my dear?”

You were speechless. What was he doing this for? Is he serious? NO! You could not let yourself think like this. The prospect of hope was wonderful, but if he were playing with your feelings now, it would destroy you. His eyes bore into yours and you tried catching him in a lie, to no avail.

“You think I am mocking you.”

You nodded.

“I see.” He said and took both of your hands now, pulling you up into a standing position. He took a step forward, looking down at you. “What makes you think like this?”

“I know I am nothing to you, so why would you…?” Without any warning he pulled you in, your body colliding with his as he bowed down and kissed you passionately. As his tongue met yours you sighed. This was better than anything you ever dared to dream of. As you were about to loose your senses Loki pulled back slightly, steadying you, while both of you tried to catch your breath.

“I...,” he murmured, “...have not been able to take my mind off of you. Don’t believe for a second that you are nothing to me.”

Was he serious? There it was. Hope. Warmth. And…

~~~

“Mr Goodfellow! It is good to see you!” you greeted him and the two of you shook hands. The slim, blonde smiled.

“You seem in a wonderful mood, if I may say so. Much better than the last time we saw each other.” He said and both of you walked towards Miss Potts’ office. “May I ask what caused the change?”

You grinned over at him.

“I am afraid it has nothing to do with business.” you told him and he smirked.

“Ah, young love. How delightful. Let me guess: Him!” he said and pointed straight ahead. Loki was walking towards the two of you. Something in his stance made you uneasy. You smiled at him, though his gaze, as you soon recognized, was fixed on Goodfellow.

“What are you doing here?” he asked harshly. Your eyes went wide in shock and were about to intervene, when Goodfellow grinned.

“It is always a delight to see you, Loki Odinson… Or do you go by that other surname by now?” he asked mockingly. You looked from one man to the other. “Does your lovely lady know about our acquaintance or shall we fill her in? You do confide in her, don’t you?”

“You will not speak to her.” Loki snapped at him, taking your arm and pulling you towards him.

“I am afraid I will have to disappoint you there or I will have to talk to Mr Stark and Miss Potts. They may not be able to get rid of you, but what do you think will happen to her should I tell them she… misbehaved?”

Your eyes went wide. What was going on here?

“Shall we go, my dear… oh or is this how you call her these days? I don’t want to… Ohoho!”

Loki had attempted to grab him by the collar to punch him, but you had taken hold of his hand.

“No! No, leave him. Loki!… Listen, I will finish this quickly and afterwards he will be gone.” You told him reassuringly. He however glared at Goodfellow.

“If you…”

“So much as touch her, yadidadidah! Yes, yes, I know. Come on, little one, we ought to finish this and soon.” Goodfellow chirped and went on. You looked up at Loki.

“I will be quick.”

“Take care with him.” he said, his voice tense and you nodded.

“I will.”

As you entered the office Goodfellow had already sat down, feet on the desk. He seemed not only relaxed, but actually utterly amused.

“Tell me, sweet maiden… Is he always this… passionate? I’d like to know if my present to you was worth my efforts.” he told you and smiled at you over his shoulder.

“I don’t know what this is about, but…”

“Ah, of course. How could you?” he chirped and… swung himself up so he was standing on the table now. How had he…? You gaped at him. “You see, my… employer –as you would call him– had a certain interest in your happiness. He always had a weak spot for pretty girls who are desperately, however hopelessly in love. Well, everyone needs a hobby, wouldn’t you agree?” You only frowned at him. “What he didn’t know, was your sweetheart’s and my little… discontent for one another… Though let us not sugar-coat anything: He loathes me! Some people simply don’t react well to some not-so-friendly competition, I am afraid.” He wandered up and down the top of the desk, clearly enjoying his little monologue. His step was light.

“Who are you?” you asked, which seemed to delight him.

“Uh, how exact! I am a bit disappointed in him for needing so much help. But well, clever people sometimes are the most stupid of them all, don’t you agree? Exactness ought to be answered with exactness of course, so I beg your indulgence! I am the servant of my Lord. I am Robert Goodfellow as much as I am Robin Goodfellow… And of course…” he stopped his pacing and jumped off the table, landing directly in front of you. Though the man in front of you looked… different. He still had the slim face and high cheekbones, but his eyes had the colour of amber now, his hair was reached his shoulders and his ears were… pointy. “I will always be Puck!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the first Chapter quite a while ago and today I finally sat down and wrote the 2nd. I had the idea for the Crossover on a sunny Sunday (hehe) I spent in bed because I was a bit under the weather. Hope you enjoy it ^^  
> I do not own any of the characters but the Reader... and even that we can have a debate about.


	2. The Real

**Chapter 2**

When you emerged from the office, Goodfellow –in his human shape– trailing behind you in a disgustingly good mood, you felt drained.  
“I’ll take my leave then!” the blonde man… elf… fairy said when Loki stalked towards the two of you. “Enjoy your weekend!”

And then he walked right past Loki, shooting the God of Mischief the most insolent smirk, which earned him a death-glare. For the first time in your live you wished that looks could indeed kill. That this… man would turn to stone or suddenly erupt in flames or just fall to the ground in a lifeless heap of skin, muscles and bones.

But looks couldn’t kill and so the man who was responsible for your shattered heart walked right up to the lifts and stepped into one without looking back once.

Like it all meant nothing.

As if the fact that everything inside of you felt heavy, torn and. And…

Filthy.

Deranged.

Hideous.

Abhorrent.

And spent. Utterly and completely spent.... meant nothing at all. 

“What is wrong? Did he hurt you?” a deep voice asked. For a moment you had no idea where it came from. Before you blinked and the tears were running down your face, leaving a salty trace on your skin before the droplets fell from the edge of your jaw. His face. This beautiful, perfect face right in front of you. So close as if to kiss you, his breath washing over your face. The thought was like a dagger being thrust into your chest and pierced your heart.

Loki’s hand cupped your face, his thumb brushing away the tears that were silently pouring out of your eyes in a seemingly never-ending stream. Those green eyes full of concern.

All fake.

None of it real.

The sharp shards inside of you cutting into the flesh of your chest.

“Please…”

A whisper was all you were able to press out of your tense vocal chords before your lungs gave in to the inhuman amount of pressure. They collapsed, leaving you gasping for air.

 

 

“I didn’t know…” you tried again. The need to explain that this had not been your doing, that you had been oblivious… That you had been stupid enough to believe that this could have been real…

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

You had taken two steps away from the man who called himself ‘Puck’ and gaped at him before he started to giggle.

“Don’t worry!” he said lightly and stood up straight, grinning at you in a friendly manner. A lot of him reminded you of some schoolboy who had just shown off a special trick of his. Which actually was exactly what he had just done. “I am not here to harm you!”

For a moment you thought about his words. In the past couple of months you had seen an awful lot of him, sometimes sitting with him in his or your own office for an hour or two, talking about business related stuff. And he had not touched you once. So, until he proved otherwise you would believe him. It helped that Loki was probably not far off. That did not change the fact that you were staring at his new appearance.

“Wh… What are you?” you asked in a small voice.

He shrugged.

“Your folks had quite a lot of names for my people. Fairies. Elves… those are the terms you would still use today I think. Though…” he lifted a finger at you, his grin still plastered on his face and winked at you. “…do not mistake me for Tinkerbell.”

A small smile formed on your lips, your heart slowing down.

“Does Mr Stark know about this?” you asked, ignoring the joke that was probably fabricated to trigger some compliment on how he surely looked more like one of the elves from Lord of the Rings. Just a bit shorter and with slightly longer ears.

“My Lord considered it, taken into account that Mr Stark barely seems fazed by… ah… exotic origin when it came to his acquaintances. He ultimately decided against it.” Puck said and shrugged, still in a very good mood. “So ultimately you have to keep this here….” Here he waggled his pointer fingers, gesturing towards his face. “our little secret… or I’ll cut out your tongue.”

His tone was still light, silvery as people would say, but you believed every word of it and blanched visibly. Puck giggled and sat back on the table Indian-style.  

“Don’t worry! I’m not here to hurt you and if you keep your little mouth shut I will never have to go back on my word. Just…” the Elf lifted his finger to his mouth. “Shhhhh! I just came to inquire if you liked my Lord’s present or not?” he asked friendly, but you were uneasy. Normal people did not go round and threatened to cut someone’s tongue out. By now you had the inkling of an idea why Loki did not like this person.

“Present?” you asked, more than a bit confused.

Puck just nodded.

“Yep. A very gracious one, I would say, too.”

 

 

 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Loki’s hands made to reach for you, to pull you in, to hold you close when you started to sob. His palm had barely touched the small of your back when you jerked violently and stumbled away from him.

“I didn’t know… I’m s-sorry… I- I p-plea-I-… Loki, no!” you said, your voice a mixture of whimpered pleas, painful sobs and frantic honesty when he stepped up to you and took hold of your shoulders.

“What did he do, my love?” you heard him ask, his voice so close, so soft… though dulled. You could hear the drumming sound of your heart in your ear, dulling all other sounds, a high peep growing louder by the second, when suddenly your sight darkened. It was too much. Why? Why, why, had you been so dumb?

It was all false.

None of it real.

None of it… consensual.

“I didn’t… I…” you whimpered, trying to move away from him, suddenly uncomfortable about him touching you.

All those past declarations of love. Tainted.

The tender kisses. Forced.

Every single time you had slept with him. Ra…

When that word came to your mind you were close to be sick. The realization that… Oh God, dear, God, make me wake up!

Your breaths became panicked, short gasps, the sound in your ears louder by the second and finally your mind collapsed around the four lettered word that had nothing to do with love, devotion and tenderness. Fainting, you thought you heard someone else call your name.

 

 

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 

“I… I am sorry, I don’t think it arrived yet.” You said innocently. The last time you had received a small present from Boomer had been a rather nice stylograph for Christmas.

“You’ve had it for quite a bit now. 9 weeks… yes, I think that’s about right.” He sneered at you.

“Mr Go… uh… Puck, I am sorry, but I did not receive any present from your Boss… Lord!” you told him, sounding apologetic.

His grin became a bit cruel and you were startled when he pulled a sheet of paper out of thin air. It was a good thing you were used to some of Loki’s magic or you would have been freaked out. Though… this whole magical stuff still was not business-as-usual to you.

“Read this, dear! You’re a clever girl, you’ll figure it out.” He said, handing the paper over to you. Scanning the black letters, you frowned.

“William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Plot Overview?! Excuse me, what does this have to do with…”

But Puck had sat down in your chair, his feet resting on the desk. Frowning, you figured that it couldn’t hurt and you were curious to know what all this nonsense meant. While you had read Hamlet and Twelfth Night in College once, this play was quite unfamiliar to you, so educating yourself surely was not a downside.

When you started reading, your confusion did not falter at first, learning about a duke who was going to marry the queen of the Amazons and a father who wanted his daughter to marry a man she did not love –Demetrius. That girl was in love with a man called Lysander, while her best friend –a girl called Helena– loved Demetrius who had ditched her. Helena told Demetrius that Hermia and Lysander wanted to run away and so they all ended up in a forest where Oberon –your eyes briefly came up to look at the grinning Elf who was not leaving you out of his sight– and his wife Titania had some sort of quarrel and then Puck’s name appeared. Soon after your eyes were flying over the page in a frantic speed.

There was talk about a flower that would make everyone fall in love with the first person they saw if it was put in their eyes while they slept. About Titania falling in love with a man with the head of an donkey, the both young men who loved Hermia falling in love with Helena out of a sudden…

Suddenly a shiver ran through your body, freezing cold seeping from the white paper straight into your fingers. You looked up at him again.

“No…” you breathed.  
“Oh, come now dear! You did not really think he loved you, didn’t you?” Puck asked, not even in a mocking tone. He wasn’t mocking you. No, this was worse. His voice burst with glee. “Sweet girl, you are a ‘Midgardian’! A mortal! Good Loki considers your kind as nothing more than insects at worst… flowers at best. Short lived. Useless. Replaceable. You are pretty, intelligent and sweet, I’ll give you that. But did you really believe this would be enough?… You’re so silent! I think a few words of gratitude are not too much to ask now, are they?”

Your mind tried to grasp what he had just said.

“You’re lying.” Was the only thing that your brain could come up with.

“No… Technically speaking I am the only truthful person in this whole affair… Oh, you are truly shocked, are you?” he asked, having the audacity to look confused. The information that you had actually thought all of this real seemed to hit him and he blinked twice, then shrugging it off. “Don’t let it bother you, girl. Take my friendly piece of advice and just… you know… go with it! Enjoy it, for you will never have a more devoted lover in your whole life. Marry him! Have some kids. Enjoy life!”

No! He must be lying! Surely…

…Loki had been sleeping that day! Goodfellow had been present. You had been the first person to see him after he woke up.

No…

This had to be a bad dream!

Wake up! Wake up! Damn, wake up!

His behaviour that day had been weird. You had thought it might have been because you usually did not get to talk to one another too long when you were alone. But…

And then the pain had started, your heart shattering into millions of piercing, burning shards of agony.

He did not get it, obviously, because when he ushered you out, he looked even more surprised when he saw that your eyes were strangely devoid of their spark.

 

 

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 

When you woke up you felt empty and would have loved nothing more than to close your eyes again, but as soon as your eyes fluttered open, the worried green eyes of Loki –who had placed your head in his lap– made you start crying all over again.

A female voice called your name.

Miss Potts was standing beside the bed you and Loki were on and she looked as concerned as the demigod.

“Where does it hurt?”

 _Everywhere…_ you thought numbly and your leaking eyes wandered about when you felt a tug at your arm. Mr Stark was talking on the phone just outside the room, two people whom you recognized as members of an ambulance to your left and right side.

Loki’s eyes did not look anywhere else but at your face and he whispered your name while his fingers brushed through your hair in a manner that would have been soothing. But it made things worse.  
Wrong.

And everything was so cramped! Why were they all so close? Couldn’t they leave you alone? Your thoughts and their voices mixed and while one part of you wouldn’t have liked anything better than to tell them what was wrong, there was the fact that you felt a pressure on your chest and your breathing did not seem to pump enough air into your lungs. And… what if you told them? What if they did not believe you, when you said you didn’t know?

“This can’t be happening…” you whimpered miserably and tried to hide your face in your hands.

“Talk to me. He won’t hurt you again.” Loki’s voice said in a re-assuring, gentle tone. “What did he do to you? You can tell me.”

“Loki…” your voice but a croak now, your body shaken by new sobs. That thing in your chest that could not be your heart was beating painfully against your rip-cage. This was impossible! Surely it wasn’t true! It couldn’t be true. He was insane! He lied to you. Yes, yes he must’ve!

But what if he didn’t?

That hope of him just messing with your head was not able to convince you that Puck had indeed just lied. You felt lightheaded again.

“She mustn’t get excited. Her circuit collapsed and she ought to remain calm.” Said the voice of a man. The dark-haired demigod leaned down towards you.

“I’m here.” He told you soothingly.

“I’m sorry…” you moaned painfully, tears flowing down your face and onto your hair and his lap. “I didn’t know! I swear I didn’t know!” you said franticly and clutched his hands. “I didn’t mean to… I am so sorry.”

“Breathe! You must breathe!” Pepper said, registering the short, shallow breaths you took while your body was shaking with sobs. You felt breathless and tried to breathe deeply but couldn’t, which made you panic and gasp for air.

“She’s hyperventilating…” one of the ambulance staff said and shortly after a mask was pressed over your mouth and nose, but you felt no oxygen. “Breathe, girl…”

A sting in your arm made you whimper.

“What’s that?” Miss Potts asked.

“A tranquilizer.” The man who was currently busy with the injection of some liquid said calmly. “It’ll help her relax.”

 

 

Loki and Stark –who was walking into the room at that moment– exchanged looks for a brief moment, but right before your eyes closed again, the formers gaze was fixed on you. He called your name, but you just wanted to hide in the depths of welcome unconsciousness.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 

“And she has not stirred since?” a deep voice asked.

“Keep your voice down, will you?” another voice answered. “She needs rest.”

Soft lips kissed your forehead, before someone shifted on the bed slightly. Silence followed and you thought briefly about opening your eyes. The medication made you feel quite dazed and you had trouble to concentrate on why you would rather not face the source of the second voice just yet.

“Loki…”

“I will kill that simpering, twisted creature, Thor. When she wakes and tells me what that THING did to her, I will squeeze the very life out of him with my bare hands.”

For some reason –you had trouble remembering which– this sounded very pleasant to your ears. Not only because it was Loki who was talking. He had such a nice voice! You could listen to it for days. Maybe he would read something to you later on if you asked him to.

“Him and you always had a lot in common when it came to mischief, I’ll say that much. Would he hurt her though?” the deeper, more booming voice asked. Thor! Right, this was Thor. Loki’s brother. He was nice!

“He… has no talent in understanding emotion. That’s why he was never good at manipulation itself and just did as his master asked. So don’t you dare compare that vile creature with me!” Loki said in a pressed voice.

This was when you really wanted to open your eyes, but realized that your body was quite reluctant to do your bidding. It wasn’t so bad! You were quite tired anyway. Maybe you could ask Loki to read to you later. What made you a bit sad though, was the fact that you could not tell him not to be upset. You did not like it when he was upset! His voice was so beautiful when he spoke calmly, but it was just so… cold when he was angry. 

“I will kill Puck for this.” He said and suddenly the fog that the drugs had created in your mind cleared and brought you back to earth. Puck!

You remembered and were very glad that you had not opened your eyes.

“Rest, brother! Tomorrow we shall talk to her and she will tell us what happened.” Thor said.

“I will not leave her side!” the God of mischief hissed and you knew exactly what his expression looked like right now. Set jaw, intense gaze, slightly pursed lips. It felt like a slap in the face. This familiarity with his gestures, his mimic expressions, the different intonations of his voice…

 _Why did you do this to me?_ She asked no one and everyone. Puck. Oberon. Yourself.

It had been nothing but a silly infatuation. You had not known him that well back then. It would have passed in time. Maybe it would have taken some distance and several months, but it would have come to an end that would not have hurt him or you. While you had felt ashamed of your crush, it had felt nice to think about someone in a fond, affectionate way. To do simple and insignificant things, just to make his life a bit easier or more pleasant. Making him smile, maybe. Making someone who was this gorgeous smile was a wonderful feeling. Especially when their smile was rare and… perfect. It had been innocent. Knowing that it would never be yours had been hard, sure. But when you had been able to help him with something little or when you had estimated the right moment to interrupt his work with a snack, coffee or anything of the kind, you had been happy. While it had not been much, it had been enough.

This had changed. By now you knew him in so many ways. In past last 2 months he had shown you some glimpses of his personality, his habits, his silly little quirks that were unknown to most. Loki was not the easiest person. It would be a lie to tell otherwise. He could be moody, impatient and very bitter at times, seeing slights where none had been intended, his pride often being the major problem.

However, when he loved, he loved deeply –honestly to add up to the searing irony. So when he said that he would kill Puck for hurting you, you did not doubt his words. A bitterness grew inside of you when you thought about this. He would get blood on his hands –most certainly get himself into a lot of trouble– over someone he did not even love. At least not really. If your heart weren’t already broken, this would have done the job. With the two brothers present you did not dare to cry.

“Then stay with her! But to me a favour and sleep, Loki. She would not want…”

“Do not tell me what she would want and what not! She certainly would not want to lay in this bed either. Sedated. Spent. Hurt!” he hissed at Thor. Loki was angry. And worried.

How you yearned to take his hand and assure him that you weren’t hurt. If only you could, you would open you eyes, smile at him the best you could and tell him to take you away from here. Away from Elves and magical flowers and the pain they had caused.

Yet you didn’t because if you did, you would never be able to look yourself in the eye again. You’d be a monster. A cruel, perverse, filthy monster.

You could not do this too him.

While he had his mistakes and his dark side, he deserved to love and be loved. You loved him. It was easy as that. But he did not love you and that wasn’t fair to either of you. What you wanted for him was real happiness and true feelings, not a contorted, twisted caricature of love and everything that was good.

It would be easy to hold on and pretend not to know anything. One day you might even become convinced that he would have come to love you over time.

And you would hate yourself for it.

Boomer… you needed to talk to Oberon! If Puck had lied then he would know. There was still the chance that it was all a hoax and if it was indeed so, no one needed to know.

And if it were true…

No! It couldn’t be! It was a lie. It had to be a lie.

The mattress depressed under the weight of Loki, who was obviously very keen on not leaving you out of his sight. Cautiously, with a tenderness he showed only in your most intimate moments, his hand took hold of yours, two of his fingers entwining themselves with yours. He nuzzled the side of your face up to your temple, before he placed a sweet kiss on your cheek.

“I should not have left you alone with him, my love…” he said softly, his words almost a whisper. “Forgive me.”

The urge to turn toward him, embrace him and hold him close nearly ruined your plan.

 _I love you…_ you thought miserably, wishing you could have told him once more.

 

 

All was done for. All was lost… if Puck indeed had said the truth.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

It was close to midnight now, when you hailed a cab, wrapping your trench coat around your body. You were freezing!

A car came to a sudden halt and you sat down, giving the driver the address you had just written on a piece of paper while on your way down.

The driver –a woman with beautiful black eyes and dark skin– took you in.  
“Are you sure you should be out here all alone?” she asked after a minute of driving. You knew what she meant. The woman who had stared back at you from the mirrors in the lift had been pale and looked exhausted.

“Don’t worry about me, please.” you said and your voice was as drained as the rest of you.

Another glance through the rear-view mirror.  

“You sure?” she asked and you nodded, sending her a tired smile.

“Yes. But thank you.”

The woman shrugged and drove on. “Whatever you say…”

20 minutes later you paid her and she looked at you again.

“Want me to wait here?”

She really did not seem to be too comfortable leaving you here.

“That’s nice of you, but it’s okay. They are expecting me.” You told her and she quickly glanced over to the house. The lights were on and it was clear that you would not be left standing in the dark streets.

“Do take care, Missy.”

Who would have thought it? One of the worst days in your life and you found the last decent taxi-driver in NY.

“Thank you… Miss…” you checked the drivers-passport on the windshield for her name ‘T. Aniati’. “Miss Aniati.” Hmm… weird name.

The car drove off and just when you walked up the few steps to the front door, it opened and Ian Boomer stood in front of you.

“Please, my dear… Come in! You look tired.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus we know: The Crossover is Marvel x Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. My favourite and at the same time the first piece written by the Bard which I read (back when I was 12). Hope you enjoyed yourself.


	3. The Varying Degree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! Thank you so much for those lovely comments and the kudos and whatnot.  
> I am sorry for making some of you sad. I decided to split the last chapter into 2 parts  
> (if movies are allowed to do stuff like this, so am I, right?) and it really seemed more  
> appropriate. You'll see why!

Chapter 3

 

He was perfection itself when he slept. Tonight his peaceful expression was tainted by a frown, caused by the fake worry he had felt for your safety before falling asleep. The dark brows created a deep line between them, the skin over his eyes tense.

 

24 hours ago you would have reached out to smooth over it with your fingers until he would eventually relax. Maybe those delicate, black lashes would have fluttered for a second before sliding up while his eyes would have opened. The green of his irises would have been darker than by day, those artistically shaped eyes sleepy but focused. The pale skin around his mouth moving while his mouth would form a small smile, the delicate lips stretching.

But that had been an eternity ago. So you just hovered there beside the bed, your eyes drinking in the sight in front of you. The raven hair that you knew to be soft though a bit unruly at times, pooling over the white pillow like black ink. His fine features turned to where he thought you were resting. One elegant, long-fingered hand holding onto a corner of the nightgown you had left behind. He had not changed before going to bed, only shedding his coat and the boots that you saw near the bed. Before you had left him there earlier –sleeping peacefully– you had covered him with the warm blankets, but he had kicked them off.

 

 _Oh you… those leather-trousers are probably not too comfortable to sleep in…_ you thought and longed to place a hand on his face, wake him and tell him to dress into something more suitable. Loki really ought to take better care of himself!

 

You did not do any of these things.

You had no right to touch him.

You never had and never would.

 ---- 

The porcelain had been paper-thin and snow-white. The steaming, rust coloured tea would remain untouched. Two fingertips had pressed against the cold material of the saucer, sliding the cup, the tea and the saucer towards you. There had been no visible veins on the back of this hand, the skin looking smooth and soft, while these were certainly strong hands. The fingers were definitely masculine, shorter than the ones you tried not to think of back then. These digits were a bit thicker, the hands a bit broader than the ones that…

“So it is true…”

The voice you had spoken with was dull and toneless.

Your skin had been prickling as if it was about to dissolve into tiny pieces, shattering under the weight of your bones. You had not dared to move for some reason. Maybe you had been indeed worried that any kind of movement might break those stiff bones and tear apart those fossilized muscles and veins filled with nothing but sand.

The tall male who sat across from you in a semi-lit room with wood panelled walls, had nodded.

“It is.” he had said, voice soft and cautious.

From the moment on you had stepped into the townhouse he had not raised his voice once, speaking with an almost gentle tone. All while tearing you to pieces with every word he spoke, bathing your last remaining hope into acid. Erasing that ludicrous sentiment that had been the last thing you had held on to.

The world halted while time was running you by with an endless succession of agony, emptiness and agony again. It felt like you sat there for days and days, unmoved and unheeded.

How long had you been here?

Why was everything moving so slowly?

You had felt like you were a hundred years old and had wondered why you weren’t dead already.

But maybe you were! There had been no feeling in your legs, your arms or your shoulders. Your head had felt like it was hovering over your body, your neck missing. And suddenly you just had wanted to sleep. Sleep and not wake up ever again.

“Why?” this simple word consisted of every shred of sadness you ever felt in your life.

This had been the first time that something that resembled a pained expression had flickered over his features. Sympathy, you realized without any sort emotion.

“My dear. All I wanted was for you to be happy.” he assured, not moving to touch you or to make a gesture to support his claim, Boomer’s movements as limited as yours.

Like this?

Were you so repulsive that magic was needed so someone was able to love you?

 _I AM repulsive… I should have known… What did I do?,_ you had thought numbly.

You did not cry. Not there. Not with him to see.

“Can… can it be undone?”

The words had been out of your mouth before you even knew you were going to say them. You could not do this to Loki. He deserved better.

Boomer had leaned towards you, his elbows resting on his knees now, those bright eyes searching yours.

“My dear, why would you want to make both of you unhappy by ending this blissful time you are sharing with each other? You cherish him. You are good to him. You prospered and blossomed ever since your romantic involvement began.” he had told you in this low, deep, imploring voice.

At this point you had been too drained of any sort of emotion to care about politeness. You had been aware of the fact that he was powerful. That he could have hurt you, even in his human form. The way you saw it; that would have been the first real favour he ever did you.

“That was not my question.” you had said, staring back at him, completely unmoved by his flinching.

 -----

Boomer had not shivered visibly, but the stare of those eyes had hurt him physically. It was so devoid of any warmth, light and emotion. All that was left was agony and numb, devastatingly shattered spirit.

_Damn it, Puck!_

 -----

“Yes.” he said after seven slow heartbeats of his millennia-old heart.

 -----

Ten minutes later the two of you stood in Loki’s bedroom in Stark Tower. Boomer had whisked both of you there, a tiny vial in one hand, the other resting on your shoulder until you stepped towards the bed.

Every fibre, every atom you consisted of begged you to change your mind. Oberon had offered a potion to you that would make you forget the past 24 hours. You had not given him any answer, just staring into his eyes.

You did not speak a lot, not trusting your voice.

Not trusting yourself to begin with.

This was it.

While your eyes lingered on Loki, absorbing every detail about him –from the slight wave of his hair, to the exact shade of his skin– you lifted your hand, palm up. Without uttering another word, Boomer placed the little bottle into your hand. It was cool to the touch.

“Will he remember?” you asked, a tremor in your voice that indicated your devastation.

“I can make you forget a night. A day. Not two months.” Boomer admitted, his eyes never leaving your profile. You could feel his gaze, but did not look at him.

So he would know…

It was just as well.

Everything was over.

Your insides were shattered, torn to pieces. Who cared if Loki would turn you inside out in the morning?

Not you…

“Leave us.” your voice nothing more than a thin, breathed whisper. Boomer nodded, but you didn’t see it. At the edge of your consciousness you thought hearing him say that he would wait outside. Registering a movement out of the corner of your eyes when he moved away from you, you climbed onto the bed slowly.

Towards him.

For a couple of seconds you just knelt there beside him, hands placed in your lap, looking down at him and suddenly your emotions broke free of the numb pulse that had kept them buried.

Pain. This moment was ripping you apart all over again. Hot, searing sorrow ripped your veins open, slit through your windpipe and burnt everything that was you. A watery sob was forced back into your mouth by your hand to muffle the sound, your body starting to shake violently.   
Still: No tears.

Acting on instinct you reached out to touch him, but then stopped yourself. Your outstretched hand hovered so close to his skin that you felt it’s heat. Leaning forward, you came a bit closer but you did not touch him. At some point your hands were buried in your hair, tearing at some strands to keep them from touching him on impulse.

Never again…

What your mind had understood instantly, was only just now comprehended by your heart and your body. Never again would you touch him. Never kiss him again, not even brush some misbehaving strand of black hair behind his ear.

They had shown you everything that might have been, had allowed you a glimpse at happiness. Only to tell you that it was not for you.

And finally, while sitting there with him asleep the tears started to pour over your face, soaking every pore of your skin.

“I’m sorry…” you whisper and sob and whimper at the same time, opening the tiny vial. With a shaking hand you poured the silvery liquid over each of his closed eyes, your mind howling in devastation.

You did not allow yourself to touch him, not even placing your hand on his one last time.

One last time…

Tears running down your face, you lowered yourself onto the bed, coming face to face with the man you loved and who had been forced to love you. All you wanted to do was to crawl into his arms and have him tell you that he loved you and that everything would be fine.

But he never loved you.

And he never would.

A bitter, broken smile carved into your face, you turned the vial between your fingers. Tilting your head slightly, you moved a bit closer, lips only millimetres away from his. You did not kiss him.

He would be disgusted enough when he woke up.

So you just whispered those three words one last time, your breath stroking his lips instead, breathing him in deeply, storing the memory of his fragrance deep inside your mind.

“I love you…” you told his sleeping form.

Your voice, body, heart and soul… all broken.

 -----

Oberon had whisked you away and now you stood in your apartment, just outside the bedroom. You had no idea how you had gotten out of Loki’s bed and his room.

The tall man stood beside you.

“I am sorry, child…” he said and something inside of you snapped. Finally turning your head to look him in the eye, registering a pained expression in those bright eyes you began to speak without so much as the slightest trace of emotion.

“You made me… You made him into a puppet. Him!” your voice breaking, tears all dried up. There were no tears left that could have been cried. You had left them with Loki. “You made a joke out of him. Out of me. You ridiculed the feelings I have for him. I never willingly harmed anyone in my whole life.”

What was it with your eyes? Why was everything so blurry?

“And you made me do the most disgusting thing one could do to another person. You made me care deeply for him and had me use him at the same time. And you are telling me that you are sorry?” you sobbed, realizing that your face was wet with tears again. Not even this you had managed to do. To cry in front of him… to sink so low…

“Get out!” you spat, angrily. At him. At yourself. At Puck. At all of existence. Safe for him. The God of Mischief and Lies was utterly innocent in all of this. The irony was lost on you, however.

Boomer, Oberon or whatever his name was just stood there, his eyes on you.

“Loki might…”

How dare he?

“I said ‘Get out’.” you informed him, voice empty again, but some remaining tears still pulling it to a slightly higher pitch. This was it. You had exhausted yourself with that little outburst.

With one more sorrowful look you didn’t care for, he vanished, leaving you alone in your apartment. For the longest moment you stood there, staring into the nothingness and painful silence that glared back at you.

Then out of a sudden, something seemed to call for you, forcing your legs to move and transport you into your bedroom. The bed wasn’t made. When you had come out of the shower this morning… well, yesterday morning, there had been no time to care about it. On the floor, just beside the door stood a middle-sized bag you had packed for yourself. You did not look at it, but knew it was there. All you could see was the bed and those unfolded, tangled sheets, the duvet –half of it pooling down to the floor.

Once more in one night you hovered next to a bed and stared at it.

He had slept there only 17 hours ago.

And smiling…

The image of that glorious smile you loved more than anything else forced itself onto you. Without thinking, you lifted your heavy limbs and crawled onto the bed, curling into a human ball of misery and pain on Loki’s side of the bed. Your body melted into the mattress, mixing with the remnants of his smell.

 

Never again.

 

He was gone and would never return.

 

It had been the only thing left to do. The only right thing to do.

 

It was there, on your bed, holding onto the sheets, surrounded by his fragrance that you started to cry again, not holding back the sounds this time. After some time your throat hurt and you realized that you were not only crying and sobbing. You were actually screaming, your fingers clawing at your face and your hair, pulling your legs closer until you were just a hunched mess of sobs and grief and tense limbs.

 

“Loki…” you shrieked miserably before loosing consciousness.

…

 

...

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

The sun was coming up, creating those soft contrasts you couldn’t care less about. You did not care about the sun, nor about the cloudless sky as it’s colour changed from dark blue to dull hues of yellows, oranges and vacuous light blues.

Once again, you marvelled at the cruelty of your own mind. It played tricks on you again. That last step away from waking up, you would have sworn to feel arms around you, someone nuzzling the soft skin of the hollow of your neck. While one part of you wanted to open your eyes so this torturous illusion would fade away, the other part of you –the one ruled by your longing heart– wanted to remain inside this illusion. It was painful. But sweeter than honey.

A soft pair of lips brushed against the nape of your neck and you started to cry.

 _Make it stop! Please… I need to wake up now…_ you begged yourself. You could have sworn that your eyes were open.

A deep sigh made you start shaking. The imagined long arms tightened around you, pulling you against a warm body behind you.

“Shhhh, my love.”


	4. The Victorious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY: This story was not supposed to have sexy times, but somehow it felt right and I did not want to chicken out of writing the act. I never wrote a sex-scene before, so I am quite nervous about this. If it sucks, I am beg your pardon. I'm not a virgin, but when it came to write smut I pretty much was. So.... yeah. 
> 
> This is the final chapter of The Seeming & The Real and I would like to thank you guys for your sweet comments, the kudos and the people who bookmarked this little story. 
> 
> Thanks again :)

Around two months before you would wake with loving arms around your body, Loki Laufeyson –or Loki of Asgard as he preferred to be called– woke to the sound of soft knocking on his door. This circumstance was surprising for more than one reason. The major one being that the demigod did not tend to take naps, especially not during the day. Secondly, he did not remember having lain down or having felt tired in the first place.

Another knock accompanied by the soft voice of the pretty Midgardian woman who worked for Stark’s companion interrupted his thoughts, which had made him move off the bed and open the door. What was her name again? At his first day he had been too out of humour to pay attention to any kind of civilities.

And suddenly his mind went blank and his heart halted in his chest when the wide and shy doe-like gaze met his. Had the wind ever held a more pleasing hint of a discreetly sweet fragrance? Had skin ever taken such a beautiful, warm blush upon seeing him?

The sweet melody created by her words made his knees feel a bit weak and he smiled gently at her rambling apology. She was always so timid around him. Polite, sweet and considerate, anticipating moves and duties that might come her way, but always so timid and shy when talking to him. Loki had already come to the conclusion that this must’ve been the sign of some infatuation on her side. While under the strict gaze of Stark and occasionally Thor he dared not to encourage nor discourage her and ignored his theory most of the time. It flattered his ego –for she was beautiful– and she did not push herself onto him. As a matter of fact: She even seemed to avoid him sometimes. Obviously there was a certain embarrassment that she felt about her feelings, which was kind of endearing where he was concerned. This Midgardian custom called ‘flirting’ was comparable to what he had come to know as ‘courting’ when he had been a youth. Though on Asgard it was rare that women did the wooing. Some playful smiles, a few witty words, an invitation to share a drink if they were well acquainted with the male, well-placed praise, yes! By now he knew the customs of most parts of Midgard well enough to know that the women here felt no such confinement. They ‘flirted’ openly, unafraid of judgement. It amused him and he welcomed it to a certain point. There were limits to everything however.

She never stepped over that border, sometimes appraising his work –along with Stark’s companion– without thinking. That beautiful face would light up with a unchecked smile that made her eyes sparkle in wonder and it was a pleasing thing to watch. At times the thought of her was one of the few pleasant things during his life down here. Exile. What a joke! It was barely a punishment to be working with one of the few members of this species that actually used his wits and be adored by a creature lovely enough to have made some of the finer aristocratic ladies at court boil with jealousy.

It was flattering. But nothing more. He had not allowed it to be more than flattering and agreeable.

Now however… Every word from her mouth was like honey, her eyes enchanting like a seducing spell, her body desirable and those soft, soft lips calling for his kiss. His heart begged him to touch her, to run his fingers through her seemingly soft hair. And there she stood, apologizing for waking him when she was truly the most delectable thing his eyes had ever –in his long life– beheld after being woken from a slumber.

“No… Don’t apologize. It was good of you to do so.” He told her gently, unable to stop smiling. Every second she stood in his reach was precious. “I am very obliged to you.” Loki added and for a moment fought the urge to enclose her in his arms when she looked so very taken aback for a second. Oh it was just maddening how humble such a creature who was worthy of every sort of affection could be and he longed to shower her with all of them in due time.

When she wanted to draw away, not wanting to bother him –What a sweet girl!– he reached for her. His fingers brushed against the warm silkiness of her hair before his hand cupped the small roundness of her shoulder. Oh if only her arms and shoulders were exposed. Or if she were completely naked for that matter!

Those wide eyes found his and his heart stopped it’s strong rhythm for the beat of an eye.

Easy now! That gaze held a hint of fear and he had to free her from it before he proceeded to court her properly. And court her, he would. She had to be at ease around him before he would fill her in on how ardently he loved her.

Because this feeling, this warmth when being in her presence and the sting of seeing her leave, the utter torture of the thought of not being with her must be love. Loki did not question the intoxicating feeling that had conquered him all of the sudden. Why would he? She was perfection itself, the loveliest flower in the universe and he would whither away if he were to be kept from holding her.

It was such a disgrace on his side that he had not caught her given name. If such a goddess trapped on Midgard was able to be named, he had to know it.

“Forgive me for keeping you, my dear…” he cooed, intending to calm her and maybe keep up this position a bit longer. It was the first time he touched her. Not even their hands had touched while she had handed him some beverage or a book he had requested. Once more he really questioned the exile that had been supposed to be his punishment. He got treated well enough, it would not last too long and he was with her. Barely a form of punishment that would have a man cower in fear. And soon he would know her name! “…but somehow your full name seems to have escaped me. Would you mind repeating it?”

As a sign of her surprise she blinked. How adorable his little love was!

When she told him her name he regarded her lips with a fond, lingering glance.

If only…

He had to be content with tasting her name on his tongue for now and it felt like he was moving sweet, but strong wine with his tongue. What a name. It filled him with completion to be able to feel it in his mouth. Now he yearned to feel her! All of her.

But for now she had to go or she would get in trouble. Loki hated the thought of her being chided for being unable to go by her chores, as hard as it would be to part from her. “I shall see you later then.” he kept smiling and repeated her name again, trying out every syllable. That delightful blush deepened once more and he was about to stop her from leaving and instead squeezed her shoulder gently and reassuringly. A silent promise of holding her against his body before the day would be done.

His eyes followed her, wondering how he could have been so blind as not to see such ravishing beauty and charm. When she was out of sight he turned and closed the door, wanting to dress into different clothing since the work Stark had in mind got messy sometimes. Turning towards the walk-in closet he came face to... forehead with someone who had not been there before. A dark skinned, beautiful woman with a thin face, full lips and dark eyes that shone with warmth stood in front of him. She was dressed in a golden, flowing gown, a crown of flowers and pearls on her head. Long, elegantly curled hair hiding pointy ears.

Loki frowned. He knew this lady.

“Queen Titania. This surely is a surprise!” he admitted, straightening his back. A pleasant laugh filled the room.

“A pleasant one I hope, dearest Loki! How you have grown…” she said fondly, smiling up at him as if he was still the small boy he had been the first time they had met. “I beg your indulgence for not visiting earlier. The last time you paid Earth a visit it seemed best to me not to come and see you. You know I hold no fondness for tricks on the mind… or the heart.” she said with all the grace and aloofness he had recalled her to possess, never judging, always calculating. This was to become out of someone with a husband such as hers.

“While I am honoured by your majestie's visit of course, may I venture to ask how I came by this pleasure?” Loki asked, using his diplomatic talent to ship around the issue of his failed conquest.

Her small smile fell and her dark, dark eyes closed for a second, tilting her head.

“My husband has no talent in meaning well, always misunderstanding human nature and their feelings. Oberon cherishes innocence and honesty of sentiment, which is a truly charming trait.” The Queen of the Elves mused, still not meeting Loki’s eye.

The God of Mischief didn’t understand what any of this had to do with him, but knew that she would eventually fill him in. Suddenly she looked up and her sad expression hit him. Even in his coldest moments, his overwhelming disgust for everything in the universe on it’s peak, this heart-breaking glance would have made him hold in. It was so much like his mother’s eyes when she was in pain. “Before I keep talking, you have to swear to me –without using your soft lies and sweet double-meanings, that you will not seek revenge. For you are not the one who was harmed here…” she said sadly, one hand clenching over the other in front of her chest. 3000 years old and in this moment she looked like a child. Unease quenched Loki’s insides.

“What motivation would I have in seeking revenge if I was not the one being harmed?” he asked.

 

\---------------------

 

You shrieked when you realized that this was in no way just a cruel dream. One of those long, pale, pleasantly defined arms had just pulled you into a lean, warm body, while the other arm functioned as a pillow for your troubled head. A lingering kiss was placed against the shell of your ear, before a husky, still sleepy voice whispered.

“Don’t cry, dearest.” Loki’s breath ran over you like a soft, warm, but thin fabric.

But you didn’t stop crying.

“NO!” you screamed and tried to free yourself from his grip.

Why did they do this to you? Had Oberon deceived you to keep this disgusting joke up for a little longer?

Desperately you gasped, tears running down your face, wondering for the umpteenth time what you had done to deserve this.

It had only been love! It had not hurt anyone! You would not have sought him out or would have forced yourself onto him. All you had wanted was to be able to look at him once in a while until he would have left for his home, where he would hopefully find someone who was worthy of him in every respect of the word. That person had only been you in the well-guarded secrecy your dreams before any of this had started. Before he began to smile whenever you walked into a room. Before he had started to joke around with Stark, opening up to make you happy, seemingly not finding it all that hard after some time. Now, after hours of loss and pain you writhed against his grip, crying and sobbing the whole time.

“No… please… I…” your breath caught in your throat when you were pushed down onto your back with tender force, finding Loki’s worried eyes look into your teary ones. A new thought struck you. Maybe it HAD worked! Maybe Oberon had not deceived you at all and now Loki was here to take out his frustration on you. Last night you would not have cared if he killed you. But this prolonged cruelty of faking to still be in love with you, whispering sweet little nothings to calm you down was too much. Before you could utter another word, his lips kissed yours softly, barely making contact, before he started to lick the tears off your face.

“It breaks my heart to see you cry, my sweet.” he breathed against your skin before kissing a trail up and down the stream of tears. “But do you have any idea how worried I was when waking up without you at my side? You know I slept too long without you as it is…”

Those words. Those loving and sweet words were bearing no accusation or anger. Oh God, how cruel!

“Loki… I didn’t…” you began but he covered your mouth with his again, his hips pressing into yours. Your whole body was pressed down by his weight, him searching for more and more contact. His hands let go of your arms and instantly you tried to push him off, when his hips settled between your legs as he grinded into your soft flesh. A protest from you was swallowed by his hungry lips. His hands undid your shirt, and ripped your bra in half, pushing it out of the way and suddenly his mouth closed around your nipple, leaving you breathless for a second. His hands held your upped body, pushing it into his mouth and lifting you off the bed slightly. Your newly-found breath hitched when he rolled his hips once more and you felt his hardness. The sharp and pleasant pain of his teeth teasing your sensitive peak, brought you back and your whole body shook with heart-breaking sobs once more when your head fell back slowly. “No… Loki please, no… not anymore… Please stop!”

And indeed he did stop, his thumbs stroking your sides in a calming rythm that burned more than any slap ever could. He shifted and kissed you cheeks before nuzzling your face gently, all the while whispering confessions of love and trying to hush you, holding you close.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked and sounded uneasy. “My love, what is wrong? Is it about what Puck did?”

“Loki please, I had no idea! I swear!” you told him miserably, your eyes meeting his again.

_Oh no…_

He had no idea! Those loving eyes could not be faked. It was exactly the same way he had regarded you with those past two months.

“No idea about what?” he asked gently, the back of his fingers brushing lightly against your cheek. “Tell me what Puck did! I love you and I will take care of it, whatever it is!”

Unstable breathes escaped your lungs and you started to whimper softly, trying to remain calm. You would explain it to him. If he did not believe you, you would still ask him to bring you to Oberon. But this intimacy… his skin pressing into yours, his soft voice…

 _Just once more! Afterwards it’s enough…_ , you begged yourself and soon your forehead pressed against his temple, caressing his face with yours.

“You don’t…” your voice was a wheezy whisper. “Puck and Oberon told me yesterday that they gave you some sort of potion that made you love me…” you leaned back, meeting his stony gaze. “I had no idea, Loki, please forgive me! I had no idea and last night I went to Oberon so he would give me the antidote.” you continued miserably, his green eyes showing signs of understanding. “He must’ve tricked me again… Please…”

A long, pale finger was placed over your mouth, silencing your explanations and apologies. Remaining silent when he pulled his finger away slowly, you got lost in his eyes.

“So don’t you love me anymore now?” he wondered, cocking his head to the side. His voice was so calm and collected, which could either be a good or an extremely bad sign.

“No…” you said and smiled sadly, tears running down your face. It didn’t matter if you told him now. There had been too many lies, why should you start to participate actively. “I could never _not_ love you… I just can’t…This can't go on...” your eyes were pleading with him now. He had to understand!

“So why did you stop me, when all I wanted to do was to cherish your body?” he asked, the innocent tone standing in biting contrast to his wandering hand sliding up your skirt. The comforting and unsettling pressure against your skin as he was sliding up on the inside of your thigh made you gasp and you started to shake your head. “Allow me to give you pleasure…” he purred and just when you thought you had found your ability to speak again, his thumb brushed over your panties, finding your covered clit and started to tease it by moving his digit in tiny circles.

“Please, Loki…” you started to beg but this protest died in a long moan, your nails clawing into his shoulders, making him groan in pleasure.

“That’s it! Beg for me!” he hissed, covering your mouth with his. That tricksy thumb stopped for a moment but only to slip under the soft fabric, now touching your hot and already wet folds, before he started to draw illustrous patterns over that sensitive bundle of nerves again. Your body became hot and cold at the same time, your libido begging you to keep your stupid mouth shut. The feeling of those warm juices seeping out of you made you moan into him and when he broke the kiss, he was smirking. “That’s it… Is not this better?” he asked and chuckled as if he remembered a joke.

No! You would not do this! This would stop! Now!

One of your hands reached for his face while the other travelled down your body to catch the one pleasuring you. Needlessly to say, your body hated you when you gently moved his experienced fingers away from your nether regions.

A confused and hurt expression ghosted over Loki’s face and then he frowned.

“What is it? You said you loved me.” he protested and one single tear fell from your eye.

“I do… But you don’t love me… Not truly. It’s all the work of that potion… I want you Loki… Though not like this. You deserve better than living a lie.” you told him. “Please… get off me and--- and we---- we will find Oberon… he has to free you from this.”

For a whole minute none of you moved. He just stared at you, his eyes slightly widened and his mind was racing, you could see it. You just laid there, enjoying the weight on top of you and hating yourself for it. Then his eyes found yours again and he sank down onto his elbows, cradling your face in his hands.

“So that filthy elf told you everything? And you run out in the middle of the night to free me from the terrible fate of being in love with you?” he asked almost as if in wonder. “You would not have rather kept silent, knowing that I would never love another?”

“No.”

A smile. A smile on his lips.

“Why not, my sweet?” he asked, leaning closer to your face, his forehead leaning against yours, thumbs starting to brush over your cheekbones.

“WHY?” you gasped, unable to stay quiet and collected. “Because that’s not love! I-It’s just cruel… a-and because you deserve better! You deserve to love and be loved… We all do… Even I…” you said, crying again, wondering if you would be able to cry another single tear when this day would be done. But who was to judge you? Those last 24 hours hadn't exactly been the happiest of your life.

“ _Even_ you?” the raven-haired man on top of you asked softly, placing a chaste kiss on your lips. “Oh my love… I am most certain you deserve to be loved and cherished more than any being I know does.” he told you kissing you deeply.

 

\----------------

 

Titania had sighed.

“My husband overstepped boundaries and took certain freedoms. Though I assure you it is not you who would be shattered if it ever came out… and my trust in Puck’s tactfulness is non-existent.”

Well she certainly had Loki’s interest.

“I swear I will not seek revenge from your husband for his doings, whatever their nature. Now tell me why you are here if his dealings do not concern me… surely they have no consequence for my mother? For in that case my promise will be withdrawn.”

The Queen smiled gracefully.

“My sweetest royal sister is safe from Oberon’s little tricks. No one shall ever force you to strike a deal with the Norns again… No! It is that sweet midgardian girl you just conversed with.”

Alarm must’ve been written all over the young Jotun’s face, because Titania went on.

“No one meant to harm her. But her feelings for you have been registered by my husband on his last visit and he is quite fond of her… and I cannot even resent him for it, for she is a lovely young woman.”

So she did have feelings for him. Loki rejoiced. Elves were hard to fool, especially one as old as Oberon. They were sensible for the feelings of others, highly empathic to the border of experiencing physical pain or ecstasy in cases of extreme emotional anguish and overwhelming joy. Which explained Titania’s wide smile and the spark in her dark eyes.

“I’m afraid I will have to give you pain very soon, though your joy is indeed so great that I can taste it’s sweet warmth in my mouth. If I were able to account for it, I would draw back now, leaving you to your happiness.” she said, the sadness in her voice fighting with the joy she had taken over from him. “You did not realize that you loved her up to now, did you?”

Loki kept his expression neutral.

“No… Why would that be important? I realized the intensity of my feelings for her rather late. Why would it matter though?” he wondered, earnestly perplexed. Thor had always been the one to carry his heart on his sleeve, thinking he found the one woman who could be able to give him fulfillment, only to loose interest soon after. Loki had been different. It had always been hard to catch both his eye and his interest. While he had enjoyed several short-lived conquests, he always found them lacking thrill and intensity. With her it was different. Even the fact that she was from Midgard had a new unknown thrill to him. Never had he thought encounting one to make him feel the way he felt about her. It was surprising and thrilling and new and absolutely delicious to contradict himself! Like a revolution against his own mind.

“You will not believe me when I tell you this, but Oberon made Puck put a potion into your eyes that would make you fall in love with the first person your eyes beheld. Your emotions were tinkered with, my dear boy and I do beg your forgiveness. It was not meant in ill humour, though it certainly lacks taste.”

Anger flared up in Loki. Not because he believed her, no! Because she thought him fool enough to be unable to keep his real emotions apart from fake ones. He had been fond of her before this day, thinking about the pretty hue of her hair and those celestial eyes. Of course he had pushed those thoughts aside at first, seeing that she was only Midgardian. But now that his eyes were opened, no one should dare to question the intensity and honesty of such feelings.

“How dare you?” he hissed, forgetting about etiquette.

Titania drew back and threw him a sad glance.

“I am so sorry my boy!” she told him, waving her hand and making him loose consciousness.

When he came to, she stood above him and he felt strangely empty. Not the light variant of emptiness, but a dense and dull heavy feeling of something missing.

He remembered.

Coming back to his feet, he threw her a half-hearted glare.

“You could at least have made me fall onto something soft, you know?” Loki told her and she gave him a sympathetic look. The intensity of his feelings for the young midgardian woman was gone, though there lingered a certain warmth around the thought and the memory of the emotions that had made him experience new heights of… euphoria? Warmth? Delight?

“Did she know?” he asked without looking over to Titania and instead glancing down at the hand that had touched her shoulder. Loki remembered that wonderful moment. The soft hair. Her –still rather adorable– blush. Was it supposed to be that way?

“No. She is not the kind of person who would want to gain affections through such means.”

The woman did not leave him out of her eyes. After she had poured the liquid over his closed lids and the soft, blue glow had subsided, she had worried for the young woman’s safety. He could be very emotional, this one here. Although she had observed that his eyes had lingered on the woman more than once in the past and that his thoughts had not always been able to stay away from her, he might still have been too proud to admit that there was something. Stubborn little Jotun… What a waste it would have been to loose such sweet romance in a sleazy lie. No matter how well the intentions might have been.

“Thank you for stepping in, your majesty… This whole affair would have made both of us look like utter fools.”

Titania nodded and wondered if he realized that he had spoken about both of them, not just himself.

“We would not want her to get hurt, would we?” the female asked and he nodded, eyes still on his palm.

How nice it had felt to touch her…

For the remains of the day he had not been able to take his thoughts off her. The sweetness of her voice, the shy glance over her shoulder when she had felt his gaze follow her… He began to wonder what her lips might taste like, referring to her by her given name in those private meditations, now that he had been able to come by it.

Strictly speaking… Well, if he did not act like he was under some kind of spell, Puck would return and then Titania might not be there to safe him and the fair midgardian.

 _Did I just deceive myself? ,_ he wondered in amusement. Loki was too clever to kid himself. Those emotions that had been intensified by the potion had been triggered by her alone, long before. She had been in his thoughts! More than once had her sweet smile lightened up his day, though he had tried not to admit it. How pleasant it would be to allow himself to be loved be a woman such as her…

That very day he had sought her out. Touching the soft skin of her hand for the first time, hearing her plead for him not to mock her while he lost himself in the smell that had by no way been the result of some mind-trick. Wiping her tears off her face before the sensation of her body crashing into his took his breath away.

And then he kissed those soft, slightly salty lips. What fool needed a potion if there was a woman with lips such as these? And what a fool he had been to think himself above her kind –Above her?– when she could have him on his knees with a single kiss?

The next two months he had spent every day with her, finding that keeping his distance was daunting, painful even. Out of a sudden, he began to see why Thor would prefer Jane Foster over someone such as Sif. Yes the life-spans of their lovers was –currently– rather short (something he intended to remedy in the near future), but they cherished life in another way. At least she did. Her curious nature, the joy she found in small things such as rainbows and summer rains, the intensity with which she made love to him… She appreciated procrastination, but never seemed without some task or to be bored. And the way she looked at him with those warm, loving eyes! After a short while he had admitted it. Loki was truly and deeply in love, something that Thor and his mother welcomed with smug grins that looked alike (Though Frigga looked far prettier with it, of course).

His happiness had actually caused him to forget about the spell for a while, since it was of no importance anymore.

 

Now, however the woman he loved thought him under said spell still. Believing all his devotion for her to be caused by shifty means. The realization that hit him upon her confession of rather being prepared to let him go than to force him to live a love that was not truly his had made him speechless and he had wondered what he would have done in her stead. How much he would have loved to say that he would have done the same. Self-deception was something that had helped him to remain mostly sane a while ago. Right now he could not fight the truth though. For a while he would have allowed this farce to go on, showering her with affection, earning her love, making her love him. Only when he would have been sure that he had done everything in his power to bind her to him would he have freed her.

And again she was better and braver than him on so many levels.

His lips pressed against her neck.

“I received the antidote hours before our first kiss.” he murmured against her skin, his tongue tracing the skin over her collarbone, causing her to moan. He knew how much she loved to be kissed and caressed there. “Two days before I first claimed your body…” he continued before his lips travelled up once more, willingly drowning in her still wet eyes, savouring the confusion, the doubt and the delicious hope he found there.

 

\-----------------------------------

 

His lips crashed into yours as if to underline his words, his mouth forcing yours to allow his eager tongue access. Without thinking you kissed him back, brushing your fingers through his long hair, tugging, causing him to muster you inquiringly, arching one of his inky brows.

“B-But how… You…mhh…” your words were muffled by his lips once more, their commanding intensity making your head spin. A soft green glow surrounded him, his clothes disappearing and leaving him naked.

Could it be true?, you wondered when he ripped the remains of your shirt and the ruined bra away from your body.

Loki moaned, thrusting his hips into yours, proving that –yes– he was still extremely eager and ready to ‘cherish’ your body.

His hands travelled south when the burning need inside of you erased all virtuous doubts about whether or not his words were true. One tug of both hands and the sound of ripping fabric later he looked down at you hungrily. A long, pale finger ran through the slit of your dripping sex.

A prickling warmth that erupted from your very core caused a long, deep moan to built in your chest and you were happy to let it roam free into the heated air of your bedroom. The same finger swirled around your entrance, playing with the fluids it found there. His wicked grin brought you to new heights and you looked up at him with hooded eyes, trying to concentrate on his eyes instead of the little twitches of your muscles.

“You know how much I love to lick through those swollen, completely drenched folds…” he panted in a husky whisper before leaning down, lips gently pressed against your ear while he spoke. “… and make you scream while my tongue licks your delicious juices out of your quivering cunt…”

The hot, wet tip of his tongue flicked against your tragus and you giggled sweetly. His lips met yours, always eager for more when you turned your head to smile apologetically at him. Though to be honest; he probably did not mind any more. Loki knew –from experience he had taken a lot of delight in gaining it– you were ticklish at some unusual parts of your body.

While his tongue caressed yours gingerly you drew a special sort of comfort out of his tender touches and yearning kisses. Hours –minutes!– ago you had thought never to experience this lean, desirable body’s attention ever again. The thoughts and emotions closing in on you, you held onto him, pressing your lips into his with more fervour. Without thinking about it, only aching to touch more of his soft skin, you slid your leg up his side. He moaned into your mouth, arms encircling your body like a giant snake, eager to crush you. Slipping between the mattress and your body, he lifted your torso off the bed, squeezing your soft breasts against his well-defined chest.

The inside of your calf glided up to his hip, and he shifted his weight to press his cock into your hot skin, making you gasp in surprised joy. One of his arms disengaged itself from your body. Loki moved that arm down your body slowly, allowing you to follow it with your eyes, starting to pant in anticipation. Once his hand had reached it's destination he lost no time, a perplexed yelp blowing against his bare shoulder when three fingers started to stroke, rub, tug and massage your clitoris in a pleasurable succession of soft, feather-light contact and quick, hard jabs of those talented digits…

For some time he just listened to your tortured moans and whimpers, loving the way your muscles were twitching with every movement of his hand and his expression became wolfish before he placed you back down on the soft sheets. While his other hand was methodically driving you insane, kindling your ache for his large cock, his free hand started to massage your breast, making you groan in appreciation. Chuckling darkly, he leaned down and started to run the tip of his tongue over your collarbone, down, down to your erected right nipple, sucking it into his mouth and leaning his head back, away from your breast.

“OH!... Loki!” you groaned, moaned, keened, whatever it was! With another hard suction, he let go of your nipple, making your breast bounce slightly and you arched your back, offering your chest to his naughty mouth, a yelp flowing off your lips when his fingers pinched your clit so hard you thought you might faint.

“Yes, love?” he inquired and smiled mischievously before closing his mouth over your sensitive flesh once more, white teeth grazing the peak this time. This sensation together with the attention his fingers paid your clit and the feeling of your juices flowing out of your opening, running down between the cheeks of your ass had you ready to come for him. The need to feel him suck you dry became unbearable and your voice came in soft, begging whimpers.

“Oh please… eat my pussy… I need you to… AH, NO!!” you protested when he withdrew his hand from your sex, bringing it up to examine his drenched fingers, nodding approvingly to himself before flicking over your writhing frame and your begging eyes, both sets of your lips quivering for any possible part of him.

Watching in fascination, unable to take your eyes off him, you gasped when that long, wickedly skilled tongue you longed to feel between your legs, licked over the length of his fingers. Deep sounds of regalement erupted from his throat. Pausing, his eyes found yours, grinning lasciviously.

“But honey…” he almost whined, before his tongue lapped over his fingers, moaning in delight. “I am so fucking hard…” here he rolled his hips again. “…and you’re soaking…” he kept on with that pleading tone. “It’s basically seeping out of you…”

His fingers travelled down to your opening, drawing a sigh of relief from your lips. You felt him rub your entrance, but he did not insert a finger into your awaiting cunt.

“Oh…” he panted your name, “You’re so fucking wet…”

“Loki… please…” you moaned, moving your hips against him this time.

“Shhh, shhh, shhh!” he hushed, palming your wet folds in his large hand, rubbing it over your mount. “I’m not done yet… Now where was I, love? Help my frayed memory!” he said, his voice but a growl before he kissed you deeply, his fingers finding your clit again, circling over all the right spots, but not causing enough friction.

It was your time to growl in frustration and you pulled him down by his hair, moaning as he placed a considerable amount of weight on your body, one of his hands settling on your hip, while the other guided his rock-hard member through your wet folds and your head snapped back, away from his thin lips to moan loudly and unrestrained.

He chuckled once more.

“Now, now, love, you have to pay attention! Where was I before you interrupted me?”

His shaft kept sliding through your folds, the head of his penis nudging against your clitoris ever so often and you gasped, wanting nothing more than this massive cock to fill you to the hilt.

“I- I’m so fucking wet…” you whimpered when he drew those hard inches along your clit, his hand making sure to press down at all the right places.

“Indeed you are…” he whispered raggedly, almost praising you when he ceased all movement, sat up and racked over your naked twitching, body that was completely at his mercy. “Oh… you are right… that was the last thing I said… Now… To the point of this lovely, most entertaining conversation…”

When he spoke, both hands settled on your hips, his binding yours with their wicked spark. By now his irises were almost black, the pupil only sparing a green, burning ring.

With one movement of his hips his cock filled you, pushing your hips into him and holding them down to press himself as deep as possible, moaning, no wheezing, while your eyes rolled back into your head, mouth opening in a muted scream. It felt like he would rip you apart and the satisfaction that raged through you was unmatchable with anything you ever felt with any other man. And then that warm, intense pulse started to run through you, when he began to thrust slow and deep, barely drawing out of you and now your voice found you, moaning his name breathlessly when the prickling warmth washed over your heavy limbs, your chest, up your neck.

That thick, long shaft stretched you in all the right places, when Loki smashed his hips into yours and held you tightly against him once more. Desperate, gasped, unintelligible sounds escaped you while your eyes begged him to be merciful and make that painful, hot ache take you over. With the same, filthy smirk he leaned down, without moving a single inch of that magnificent cock out of you, making you whimper, your breath coming in short gasps.

You were close. It felt like nothing else, your eyes widened, nails buried in the sheets. He was breathing through his nose, also taking short, hissing, pant-like breathes before saying your name, his silky voice drenched by desire and raw need.

Those eyes, their fire burning you, making you shake with all sorts of overwhelming emotions.

“Tell me that you love me, and I will fuck you until it’s impossible for you to close your legs! And then again! And again!” a manic smile now spread on his face, his words almost enough to make you come.

Your heavy-lidded eyes closed briefly and you smiled deviously. After a second –only one second– he gasped, almost yelling your name when your clenched your vagina around his member, that was so deeply buried inside your wet, hot cunt that grabbed him tightly. When you unclenched your muscles, you smiled hazily at him.

“I love you…” you breathed playfully.

And then he truly fucked you. His pace was rapid and animalistic in its ferocity, the strokes deep and punishing. Moans becoming screams, mixing with his, creating the filthiest symphony, when your orgasm washed over you with more intensity than ever before.

His pace slowed down for a moment to allow you to savour the ecstasy that raged through your veins. As soon as your eyes opened again, his thrusts became harder and faster again, causing you to moan and whimper, the sensation too much to bear and you held onto him, not even registering the headboard hitting the wall with every powerful thrust.

“Tell me that you love me!” he panted, his hips slapping against you with wet thuds.

“Iloveyou!” you panted, your voice weak and desperate for… him.

“Again!” he growled, his movements becoming less controlled, but harder. He was close.

“Oh Loki…” you moaned and tightened around him once more, willing to help him along. “I love you.”

With a gasp he came and spent his seed deep inside of you with hard, slow thrusts, his eyes closed in blissful completion. He leaned down and kissed you deeply, arms coming around you to hold you close.

“I love you too…” he breathed and opened his eyes, giving you a small peck on the lips. “No potion is better than those lips…” he complimented and traced your mouth with his finger, kissing your face. You pressed your lips against his finger and he looked fondly at you.

For some minutes you were silent, both of you happy with caressing one another and covering each other with sometimes feather-light and then again lingering kisses. After some time you spoke.

“So… when you asked if I could imagine coming back to Asgard with you…” you began, alluding to the conversation the two of you had had two nights ago. The one that had made you doubt his feelings for the first time.

“…I did not intend to make you uncomfortable. I just… we’ve only been together for such a short time now and I am… reluctant to leave you already. What I said is true: I slept too long without you. I want this to go on.” he said, his eyes serious when he took your hand, fingers entwining with yours.

“Well then…” you placed a short kiss on his lips and he smiled. “In that case I hope you will allow me to remain able to close my legs. I hear that’s always considered a pro when first meeting the parents!”

Loki chuckled.

“Maybe you can… persuade me?” he asked playfully and wiggled his brows comically at you, causing you to laugh underneath him. “Now, now, what is this? You mock the God of Mischief?” he asked in fake anger. “Thou shalt pay for such insolence!”

His fingers pinched your sides and you screamed with laughter, begging for mercy. After some moments you were breathless and he had a very smug smirk upon his face.

“I love you!” he said softly, the back of his forefinger caressing your cheek.

“I love you too…” you said before your lips met for a soft kiss.

 

 ------------------------------------------

 

When you finally made it out of bed you sat on the small balcony of your apartment, wrapped in each others arms while he fed you with some fruit. Loki explained to you when exactly Titania had visited him after the day you had been asked to wake him up. About the antidote and the way he had already been thinking about you from time to time. The way he had thought you beautiful and sweet and how that first kiss had been even more potent than any potion any magician could ever come up with.

“So everything was real?” you asked before he pushed another strawberry into your open mouth.

“Ironically; Yes! For some reason people always think everything is fake with me, but… Ow!” you had nudged him in the ribs with your elbow.

“You know that you could have spared me a lot of pain if you had just told me from the start, right?” you asked and leaned into the hollow of his neck, enjoying the way his arms wrapped themselves around you tightly.

“I did not tell you because I didn’t think Puck would brag about it… though I should have seen it coming. Forgive my secrecy… I thought it would spare you from pain, not thrust you right into it.” he said and you moved closer still.

“I know you are the mysterious and silent type and I really appreciate it as a big part of your charm…” you said giggling and your body shook with his chuckles. “But the next time you think it’s better to keep something a secret; Don’t!”

A short silence.

“Sooo… you want to know about everything?” he asked, a mischievous undertone in his voice.

Oh, oh!

“Well…” you tried to interrupt, but he already continued.

“About how I ran through Stark… uhm… Avengers Tower –I swear I will never get used to that dumb name–“ he mumbled and you laughed.

“Loki!” you chided and he leaned his head against yours.

“Oh, yes! Where was I? Oh of course… Well, I was looking for you, being the considerate person we all know me to be… hey, no laughing at me, I am telling you about delightful secrets here!” he told you, pinching your sides when you started to giggle.

“Sorry, silver-tongue…” turning your head, you looked up at him. “I am sorry for making you worry.”

He sighed dramatically.

“I think I shall be able to bear it… But no more interruption!” he warned and you rolled both of your lips into your mouth, eyes wide with innocence. “…worried sick about you, rushing into the living-room surprising Stark and Ms Potts in a position the two of us enjoy frequently.”

“Bullshit!” you said dryly.

Loki kissed your cheek.

“You caught me… No… I saw Stark yelling at Oberon… or Boomer. He seemed very out of humour.” He explained, the tips of his fingers running over your knuckles.

“I caused so much trouble…” you mused, causing him to spin you around to face him. His eyes were serious and full of strength.

“I never want you to say that again!” he told you in a strict voice. “You did nothing wrong. Everything that was done right and… properly in this matter, was done or infiltrated by you.” There was a sudden, lingering tenderness in his eyes, as if he yearned to say more, but refrained from doing so.

Instead of saying something in return, you leaned your head against his shoulder, pressing your body against him, one hand placed on his chest –over the strong beat of his heart– while the other clenched his shoulder. His fingers brushed through your hair and over the small of your back.

“I love you.” He said once more, repeating it again and again when the sun began to lower itself above this restless, buzzing chaos of a city, shadows darkening and spreading over the tightly built high buildings, a slightly cold wind rushing around you. You did not feel the wind. You felt him. The slightly chilly skin that still was able to keep you warm and safe.

“I love you, too.” You told him, turning his face towards you with your small hand, kissing him. This was heaven and everything heaven would never be. This was not uncomplicated, nor would it be without problems. And it did not even matter. Because you were with him and he wanted to be with you.

He loved you.

And that was all that mattered to you.

 

 -------

 

Titania smiled while she sat on the roof of a nearby building, her naked feet dangling over the edge. That’s what she had been wishing for!

Her heart fluttered like a little bird, catching the waves of Loki’s and his lover’s happiness and she sighed in delight, tilting her head up to the sky.

“I hope this is to your liking, my sister-in-rule.” She giggled, hoping Frigga would get her message.

Out of a sudden, Oberon sat down beside her, one of his legs hanging beside hers, while his one foot remained on the edge. She smiled at her husband and leaned into him.

“My Lord!” she said lovingly and the king of the elves smiled.

“I should be displeased with you, my sweet lady!” he told her, placing one of his large, white hands over hers.

“Who am I to argue?” she said and giggled again, Loki’s warm and honest happiness making her all fuzzy inside of her stomach and she nudged Oberon’s second leg down, so she could place her head in his lap. “But I don’t think you are able to at the moment.”

His deep chuckle indicated that she was right and she kissed his leg.

“Why didn’t you tell me that they would prosper?” her husband asked and started to play with her dark, long curls.

“And have Puck run wild? I told you centuries ago he lacks the gift to taste and inhale the feelings of others ever since those terrible new wars began! He has no understanding for the needs of others anymore.” Titania told him, exceedingly displeased, but soon reconciled by the tickle of Loki’s lover’s laughs against the soles of her feet. “Oh Oberon… Isn’t this delightful?” she squealed, beaming like a child. “So superior compared to that damned flower!”

For a long time they sat there and enjoyed their bath in the happiness of young, fresh love.

“So… they got that one right…” Oberon suddenly mused. “Who would have thought, after that episode with the horse?!”

Titania giggled.

“We have to fill Loki in on this story about him and that horse some time… Though… no maybe not! His fondness for humans still needs stronger roots. But she’ll see to that.” Titania said and closed her eyes.

“The victorious girlfriend…” Oberon whispered and his wife nodded.

“Victorious indeed.”


End file.
